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Matsubayashi M, Kinoshita M, Tsuchida S, Kobayashi A, Tamura N, Shibahara T, Kido Y, Kaneko A, Sasai K, Ushida K. Experimental evaluation of pathogenicity and acquired immunity of Eimeria species, E. uekii and E. raichoi, infecting Japanese rock ptarmigans in a subspecies of the birds. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 22:167-174. [PMID: 37876909 PMCID: PMC10590809 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Japanese rock ptarmigans (Lagopus muta japonica) are birds that inhabit only alpine regions of central Honshu Island, Japan, known as the Japanese Alps. The number of these birds has recently declined, and in situ and ex situ national conservation programs for Japanese rock ptarmigans have been initiated. The infections of Eimeria spp. as protozoan parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa, E. uekii and E. raichoi, were frequently reported in the birds. However, the virulence of these Eimeria parasites has not been determined. Here, we analyzed the pathogenicity of these Eimeria parasites using experimental infections of a subspecies model of Japanese rock ptarmigans, Svalbard rock ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus hyperboreus), and evaluated acquired protective immunity against challenge in birds tolerant of low-dose inoculation with Eimeria parasites. Following inoculation with two Eimeria parasites derived from Japanese rock ptarmigans (dose range of 4 × 104 to 4 × 102 for E. uekii and 1.7 × 104 to 4 × 101 for E. raichoi), oocysts were detected at 6-8 days post-inoculation (PI), and the maximum number of oocysts per gram of feces was observed 7-10 days PI and then gradually decreased. The mortality rate and reduction in weight gain of chicks increased following high-dose inoculation of oocysts with abnormal feces (soft and diarrhea). Developmental zoites were detected histopathologically in epithelial tissues and sometimes the lamina propria from the duodenum to the colon. Chicks that survived low-dose inoculation did not show clear clinical symptoms after challenge inoculation. Our results suggest that the pathological characteristics of Eimeria parasites infecting Japanese rock ptarmigans include abnormal feces and reduction in weight gain, resulting in mortality in cases of heavy infection due to high-dose inoculation. These findings provide helpful data for Japanese rock ptarmigan conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Matsubayashi
- Graduate School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia
| | - Moemi Kinoshita
- Graduate School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Sayaka Tsuchida
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kobayashi
- Shin-etsu Nature Conservation Office, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Environment, Nagano, 380-0846, Japan
| | | | - Tomoyuki Shibahara
- Graduate School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
- Division of Pathology and Pathophysiology, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Yasutoshi Kido
- Departments of Virology and Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
- Osaka International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545 -8585, Japan
| | - Akira Kaneko
- Departments of Virology and Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
- Osaka International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545 -8585, Japan
| | - Kazumi Sasai
- Graduate School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Kazunari Ushida
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan
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Matsubayashi M, Tsuchida S, Kobayashi A, Shibahara T, Teramoto I, Kido Y, Kaneko A, Nakamura H, Hasegawa M, Sasai K, Ushida K. Evaluation of the host specificity of Eimeria uekii and Eimeria raichoi for Japanese rock ptarmigans by oocyst transfer to taxonomically related birds. Parasitol Res 2023:10.1007/s00436-023-07875-7. [PMID: 37264281 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07875-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Eimeria spp. are protozoan parasites that are commonly found in a broad range of vertebrate hosts. These parasites generally exhibit strict host specificity, but some Eimeria spp. can infect groups of closely related species such as species within a genus or family. Compared with Eimeria spp. that infect livestock, limited information is available about such infections in wild animals including data on host specificity, virulence, and prevalence. The Japanese rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta japonica, is an endangered bird belonging to the family Phasianidae, order Galliformes, and inhabits only alpine areas of Japan. In conservation efforts for these birds, two Eimeria spp., E. uekii and E. raichoi, were frequently detected. Here, we examined cross-transmission of the parasites to other bird species to characterize their infectivity as well as the development of experimental bird models to contribute to conservation programs by the oocyst transfer. Consequently, among the examined eight bird species (chickens, Japanese pheasants, turkeys, chukar partridges, quails, helmeted guineafowls and ducks), only turkeys (family Phasianidae, order Galliformes) could be infected with E. raichoi. However, the number of oocysts per feces was relatively low, and few parasites in the intestinal mucosa could be found by histopathological analyses. These results might indicate that E. uekii and E. raichoi are highly adapted to Japanese rock ptarmigans that inhabit the alpine zone although further studies are anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Matsubayashi
- Departments of Veterinary Immunology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, 1-58 Rinku Orai Kita, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan.
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia.
| | - Sayaka Tsuchida
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-Cho, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kobayashi
- Shin-Etsu Nature Conservation Office Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Environment, Nagano, 380-0846, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Shibahara
- Departments of Veterinary Immunology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, 1-58 Rinku Orai Kita, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
- Division of Pathology and Pathophysiology, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Isao Teramoto
- Departments of Virology and Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
| | - Yasutoshi Kido
- Departments of Virology and Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
- Research Center of Infectious Disease Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
| | - Akira Kaneko
- Departments of Virology and Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
- Research Center of Infectious Disease Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakamura
- General Foundation Hiroshi Nakamura International Institute for Ornithology, Nakagosho, Nagano, 380-0934, Japan
| | - Masami Hasegawa
- Department of Biology, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Kazumi Sasai
- Departments of Veterinary Immunology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, 1-58 Rinku Orai Kita, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Kazunari Ushida
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-Cho, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan.
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Matsubayashi M, Kobayashi A, Kaneko M, Kinoshita M, Tsuchida S, Shibahara T, Hasegawa M, Nakamura H, Sasai K, Ushida K. Distribution of Eimeria uekii and Eimeria raichoi in cage protection environments for the conservation of Japanese rock ptarmigans ( Lagopus muta japonica) in the Japanese Alps. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2021; 15:225-230. [PMID: 34159052 PMCID: PMC8196045 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Japanese rock ptarmigans, Lagopus muta japonica, are classified as an endangered species in Japan and are found only in the Japanese Alps. The number of birds has decreased in the last half century and cage protection projects have been undertaken as in situ conservation strategies (one of the projects for the recovery plan of Japanese rock ptarmigan) in the mountains. During the period with cage protections, some chicks died and two Eimeria spp., E. uekii and E. raichoi, were identified in the chicks. Here, we examined the soil within the cages and in the surrounding environment to assess potential sources of infection between July to August 2020. We found high numbers of oocysts in the cages, especially at the back sides where the ptarmigan family frequently congregated, but soils in other areas outside the cages were less contaminated or not contaminated at all. The time required for more than 50% of the oocysts to sporulate at 15, 20 and 25 °C for E. uekii was 20, 11, and 5 h, respectively, and 72, 48 and 18 h, respectively, for E. raichoi. Our results cast some doubt that coprophagia by chicks is the source of infection because chicks consumed fresh cecal feces (approximately within 1 h) as far as we know, and instead, the protected chicks might be directly or indirectly infected by oocysts in soils or the environment. Cage protection is effective for protecting chicks of Japanese rock ptarmigans. Soils at the back sides in the cages were highly contaminated with Eimeria spp. E. uekii can rapidly be sporulated at 15 °C in timber regions. Protected chicks might be infected by oocysts in soils or the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Matsubayashi
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.,Asian Health Science Research Institute, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.,Department of Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.,Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia
| | - Atsushi Kobayashi
- Shin-etsu Nature Conservation Office, Environmental Ministry Japan, Nagano 380-0846, Japan
| | - Minemitsu Kaneko
- Japan Wildlife Research Center, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-8606, Japan
| | - Moemi Kinoshita
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan
| | - Sayaka Tsuchida
- Academy of Emerging Sciences, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Shibahara
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.,Division of Pathology and Pathophysiology, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
| | - Masami Hasegawa
- Department of Biology, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakamura
- General Foundation Hiroshi Nakamura International Institute for Ornithology, Nakagosho, Nagano 380-0934, Japan
| | - Kazumi Sasai
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.,Asian Health Science Research Institute, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan
| | - Kazunari Ushida
- Academy of Emerging Sciences, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501, Japan
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